Moldova

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Quick Facts

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Capital

Chisinau

Government

Republic

Nationality

Moldovan, Moldavians

Population

4,439,000

Languages

Moldovan, Russian, Gagauz

Religions

Christianity (Eastern Orthodox)

Currency

Moldovan Leu (MDL)

Calling Code

+373

Time Zone

EET (UTC+2)

Daylight Saving Time

EEST (UTC+3)

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Introduction

Chisinau

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Rich fertile soil, rolling green hills, areas of woodland and gorgeous fields of sunflowers: Moldova is a land of considerable natural beauty. Vineyards line much of the landscape, and Moldovan wine is some of the finest according to local people, particularly considering its low price.

But the sad fact remains that Moldova is a nation struggling to get to its feet. Throughout the centuries, Moldovians have been pushed to and fro and passed through countless pairs of hands to end up in the 21st century trying desperately to come into its own. In 2001, Moldova elected a Communist to be its leader, becoming the first ex-Soviet colony to do so. Last year, large public demonstrations were held in opposition to the government. Widespread poverty add to the discontentment and Moldovians are considered some of the least happy citizens in the world. This volatile situation makes Moldova less than ideal for your next family holiday.

Some of the Moldavian hotels organize excursions to Moldavian monasteries and medieval fortresses. The guides will speak Romanian, Russian or English. In case of excursions to Moldavian wineries they will arrange for you a professional wine tasting.

Brief History

Geography

Moldova shares international borders with Romania and Ukraine, while the self-declared state of Transdnistria stradles the border of Ukraine as well.

Regions

Moldova consists of 32 administrative rayons. The country can however be divided into two geographically distinct regions.

• The hilly steppes (Codru) in the centre & north.
• The Bugeac plains in the south.

Two special regions are worth noting.

• Gagauzia is an autonomous region in Moldova's south.
• Transdnistria is a breakaway province in Moldova's east, between the Dniester River and the Ukrainian border. It is not recognised by any formal international body. Following a hard-line Communist ethos, it receives military equipment and funding from Russia. Its citizens receive Russian passports. Transdnistria has its own currency and stamps that are useless outside the province. It has strict border controls and, although it is possible, technically, no foreigners are allowed to enter this province.

Cities

• Chisinau - The capital
• Tiraspol - In Transdnistria, a separated part of Moldova
• Balti
• Tighina
• Ungheni
• Comrat
• Orhei

Sights and Activities

Milestii Mici

Visit the world's largest wine cellar and Europe's largest wine collection at Milestii Mici winery. Located 20 km south of Chisinau this sight has an underground wine city made of limestone stretching for 250 km. Although only 120 km are currently in use. It is possible to travel in these tunnels by car or bike! And the best part is the tour ends with a wonderful tasting. This is a great day trip from the capital.

Orheiul Vechi

Located near the villages of Trebujeni and Buteceni, about 50 km northeast of Chisinau, is the amazing ruins of Orheiul Vechi. Two medieval towns occupied the site for several hundred years. There is an ancient mosque, two mausoleums, a caravan seraglio and three bath houses to explore. Nearby there is an orthodox cave monastery, dating back to the 12th century, that is still in use. If your lucky the English speaking monk might be able to give you a tour.

Nistru River Valley

Go for a hike in the beautiful Nistru River Valley. The river slowly wanders across this hilly area with dense woods giving a wonderful outdoors feel. Look for wildlife and enjoy the quiet countryside. Some parts of river form the border with Ukraine, therefore making it difficult to go back and forth from the banks.

Other Sights and Activities

• Cojusna Wine Cellar - Is a smaller wine cellar with a great collection and is fun to walk around.
• Sorca Medieval Fortress - Explore the medieval fortress of Sorca.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Moldova has a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. Summertime is from June to September with temperatures averaging around 27 degrees Celsius, while winters (December to February) are between zero and -8 degrees on average. Absolute highs and lows are aroun 37 and -30 respectively. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year with some more rain in summer, when sometimes heavy showers and thunderstorms occur.
May and September are very good months for a visit.

Getting There

By Plane

Air Moldova is the national airline of the country and is based at Chişinău International Airport (KIV) near the capital. Destinations include Athens, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Paris, Milan, Rome and Vienna. Air Baltic flies to and from Riga and Vilnius. Other air companies that serve Chişinău are Tyrolean air, Turkish Airlines, Tarom and Transaero. Carpat Air has started flight to Timisoara in Romania.

By Train

There are currently no trains to and from Odessa in Ukraine (due to political troubles with Transdniestria). International services go to and from Bucharest in Romania, Sofia in Bulgaria, Minsk in Belarus and Moscow in Russia, among several other connections. Check the Moldovan Railways website for schedules and prices.

By Car

You can cross into Moldova by car when you have the right documentation and insurance. Crossings via Transdnistria are not possible but other borders with Ukraine and Romania are open. Those with Romania tend to be much easier though.

By Bus

Buses travel between Chisinau and a number of other cities, mostly in Romania and Ukraine, few go further away.

By Boat

There are no boats to and from Moldova.

Getting Around

By Plane

There are no internal flights because there is only 1 airport.

By Train

Trains are generally slow. See the Moldova Railways website for destinations.

By Car

• Rutiera - Is a cross between a mini bus and a share taxi. People take private cars or mini vans and drive to different cities. It is possible to get to most places in Moldova this way. Most leave from the bus stations and it is possible to connect to other rutiera to get to more remote towns.

By Bus

Most of the cities are linked by bus but this service is extremely basic. Also the buses and very old and take a long time.

By Boat

No boat services exist in the country.

Red Tape

As of January 1st, 2008, holders of passports from the following countries do not require visas to enter Moldova as a tourist for stays of up to 30 days:
Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Uzbekistan.

Most other nationalities should contact the nearest Moldovan embassy or consulate. In October, during the Moldovan Wine Festival, there is a visa free regime for visitors to the festival. Note that you must still apply and be accepted for a visa in advance, but there is no fee for processing the visa. Also note that still it's not possible to get a visa upon arrival when entering by train!For more information check the Moldovan Tourist website.

Check the latest situation about travelling to Transdnistria, the self-declared autonomous region in the west of the country. Different visa rules might apply here.

Money

See also: Money Matters

Moldovan Leu (MDL), plural Lei (from Romanian for 'Lion'), are divided into 100 bani.

• Banknotes: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 lei
• Coins: 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 bani

• Exchange rate (July 2008): 1 EUR = 17 MDL

Although the capital is relatively expensive in terms of food and accommodation, costs in the rest of the country are minimal.

The Transdniestria region uses the Transdniestrian Rouble.

Work

Study

Language

The two main languages in Moldova are Moldovan and Russian. Moldovan is at best a dialect of Romanian. Although some slang has developed very few Moldovans take pride in their tongue. Most people speak Russian also but many of the Moldovans refuse to speak Russian because of nationalistic pride. Many of the younger people are learning English now. Menus in the capital often include Moldovan, Russian and English.

Eat

Sleep

• Marisha, Your Friend in Moldova - Is a one woman accommodation booking machine. This woman can arrange any kind of sleep arrangements, including home stays. She can even line you up with a week on a Moldovan farm if your interested in the more rural experience.

Drink

Health

See also: Travel Health

Safety

See also: Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

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